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| Teddy row teacher to be released | Teddy row teacher to be released |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Teacher Gillian Gibbons is to be released from prison in Sudan after she was jailed for allowing children in her class to name a teddy bear Muhammad. | Teacher Gillian Gibbons is to be released from prison in Sudan after she was jailed for allowing children in her class to name a teddy bear Muhammad. |
| Mrs Gibbons, 54, from Liverpool, was jailed for 15 days by a court in Sudan. | Mrs Gibbons, 54, from Liverpool, was jailed for 15 days by a court in Sudan. |
| Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir pardoned her after a meeting with two British Muslim peers. | |
| In a statement, Mrs Gibbons said "I am sorry if I caused any distress". Gordon Brown said he was "delighted and relieved" at the news. | |
| Mrs Gibbons is expected to be released later on Monday and flown back to the UK. | |
| I have great respect for the Islamic religion and would not knowingly offend anyone and I am sorry if I caused any distress Gillian Gibbons Teacher freed - your views | |
| The jailing of Mrs Gibbons has led to an international outcry and has embarrassed the government. | The jailing of Mrs Gibbons has led to an international outcry and has embarrassed the government. |
| Lord Ahmed thanked the president for granting the pardon and said both he and Baroness Warsi were proud to have been able to help Mrs Gibbons. | Lord Ahmed thanked the president for granting the pardon and said both he and Baroness Warsi were proud to have been able to help Mrs Gibbons. |
| "This is a case which is unfortunate, unintentional, innocent misunderstanding, and as British Muslim Parliamentarians we, Baroness Warsi and myself, we feel proud that we've been able to secure Gillian Gibbon's release." | "This is a case which is unfortunate, unintentional, innocent misunderstanding, and as British Muslim Parliamentarians we, Baroness Warsi and myself, we feel proud that we've been able to secure Gillian Gibbon's release." |
| Baroness Warsi read out a statement from Mrs Gibbons. | |
| The statement said: "I have been in Sudan for only four months but I have enjoyed myself immensely. | |
| "I have encountered nothing but kindness and generosity from the Sudanese people. I have great respect for the Islamic religion and would not knowingly offend anyone and I am sorry if I caused any distress. | |
| "I was extremely happy working in Unity High School and there I had made some wonderful friends. | |
| "My class was delighted and were making wonderful progress with their studies. I will miss them terribly and I am very sad to think that they have been distressed by this event. | |
| "I would like to express my sincerest thanks to all who have worked so hard whilst I have been in prison . Thank you also for the messages of support." | |
| Efforts applauded | Efforts applauded |
| Mr Brown said Mrs Gibbons would be released into the care of the British embassy in Khartoum. | Mr Brown said Mrs Gibbons would be released into the care of the British embassy in Khartoum. |
| "Through the course of Mrs Gibbons' detention I was glad to see Muslim groups across the UK express strong support for her case. | "Through the course of Mrs Gibbons' detention I was glad to see Muslim groups across the UK express strong support for her case. |
| Baroness Warsi and Lord Ahmed both travelled to Sudan | |
| "I applaud the particular efforts of Lord Ahmed and Baroness Warsi in securing her freedom. I am also grateful to our officials for all their work behind the scenes." | "I applaud the particular efforts of Lord Ahmed and Baroness Warsi in securing her freedom. I am also grateful to our officials for all their work behind the scenes." |
| Downing St confirmed that Mr Brown spoke to Mrs Gibbons' son John Gibbons on Monday morning. | Downing St confirmed that Mr Brown spoke to Mrs Gibbons' son John Gibbons on Monday morning. |
| A spokesman said they talked about the behind the scenes work that had been going on to secure Mrs Gibbons' release. | A spokesman said they talked about the behind the scenes work that had been going on to secure Mrs Gibbons' release. |
| Speaking to reporters outside his home in Liverpool, Mr Gibbons said: "I've just spoken to the prime minister. | |
| "He called to give me the good news himself and I've spoken to the Foreign Office as well." | |
| One of Mrs Gibbons' former teaching colleagues said he was delighted by her release. | One of Mrs Gibbons' former teaching colleagues said he was delighted by her release. |
| Ibrahim Mogra from the Muslim Council of Britain, told BBC News 24 that the whole saga was very damaging for the image of the Muslim faith. | |
| "Each time we have stories like these, that distort what Islam stands for or misrepresents what the compassion of Muslim law stands for. | |
| "Then we have repercussions and people begin to feel that Islam has no place in modern society, whereas we believe that Islam is for all time to come | |
| "I have not come across one single Muslim in our country who has supported what has happened.'' | |
| Protestors march | |
| Rick Widdowson, headteacher of Garston Primary School in Liverpool where she worked for 12 years, said: "Everyone is very relieved and very pleased. | Rick Widdowson, headteacher of Garston Primary School in Liverpool where she worked for 12 years, said: "Everyone is very relieved and very pleased. |
| "We feel it should never have come to this but it's a good ending." | "We feel it should never have come to this but it's a good ending." |
| Protesters had called for a harsher sentence to be handed down | |
| President Omar al-Bashir has been under pressure from Sudanese hardliners to ensure Mrs Gibbons served her full sentence. | President Omar al-Bashir has been under pressure from Sudanese hardliners to ensure Mrs Gibbons served her full sentence. |
| There had even been calls for a retrial and for the sentence to be increased. | There had even been calls for a retrial and for the sentence to be increased. |
| Mrs Gibbons had been held in a secret location due to fears for her safety. | Mrs Gibbons had been held in a secret location due to fears for her safety. |
| She was arrested after a member of staff at Unity High School complained to the Ministry of Education. | She was arrested after a member of staff at Unity High School complained to the Ministry of Education. |
| Crowds of protesters had marched in the capital Khartoum demanding a tougher sentence for her alleged crime of blasphemy. Some called for her to be executed by firing squad. | Crowds of protesters had marched in the capital Khartoum demanding a tougher sentence for her alleged crime of blasphemy. Some called for her to be executed by firing squad. |
| The British politicians had meetings with Sudanese government officials, including the foreign minister, over the weekend. | The British politicians had meetings with Sudanese government officials, including the foreign minister, over the weekend. |
| They had been due to return home on Monday, but announced they would stay for a third day, after indications that the weekend's "difficult" meetings had led to progress in the case. | They had been due to return home on Monday, but announced they would stay for a third day, after indications that the weekend's "difficult" meetings had led to progress in the case. |